Ornamental surface covering



Sept-2, 1930.

J. TOMEC ORNAMENTAL SURFACE COVERING Filed June 1926 INVENTOR JOHN 75MEC Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN TOMEC, OF TRENT ON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO W. & J. SLOANE MANUFACTUR ING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY ORN 'AMENTAL SURFACE COVERING Application filed June 1, 1926. Serial No. 112,823.

This invent'ion'relates to improvements in ornamental surface coverings, and while the invention is capable of use in connection with ornamental surface coverings generically, it

is particularly adapted to the manufacture of floor covering such, for example, as lino-- leums and the like.

The principal objects of the invention are to improve the construction of linoleum and similar surface coverings and processes of making the same and to provide a floor cover ing which, when completed, will in every re spect resemble the floor known as Dutch tiling.

- Dutch. tiling floors are.formed by laying tiles of different colors in spaced relation to one another, the space between the tiles being partially filled with the mortar in which the tiles are laid. In this particular type of floor, however, the exposed surface of the mortar does not extend to a point where it isflush with the exposed surface of the tiles and thus the exposed surface of the entire floor is in intaglio and relief, the mortar being in intaglio, and the tiles in relief.

While the invention is particularly designed to be applied to the manufacture of linoleum in imitation of Dutch tiling, certain features thereof may be applied to the manufacture of surface coverings other than linoleum and certain features also may be applied to the manufacture of linoleum and similar surface coverings having designs certain portions of which are in relief but not made to resemble particularly Dutch tiling or any other kind of tiling.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings which illustrate it in its preferred forms and the following detailed description of the constructiontherein shown.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of ornamental surface covering constructed in accordance withone form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view illustrat-- ing one step'in the method of forming'an ornamental surface c'overlng in accordance .W1t-h one form of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale of the finished ornamental surface covering constructed in accordance.

with thatform of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 and 2; v

Figure 4 1s a detail sectional view illustrat ing one'step in a slightly modified method of forming an ornamental surface covering; 1

and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, of the finished ornamental surface covering constructed in accordance 'with the modified method hereinbeforereferred to.

In carrying out the present invention asuitable backing, such as designated by-the numeral 10, isemployed. This backing 10 is, 'more or less common in the manufacture of linoleums and the like, and may consist of any material suited for the purpose, of which burlap is one example.

In making inlaid linoleum for example,

there are two distinct processes well known in the art for many years, the moulded and the straight line. In the moulded process,

the linoleum material in granular form issame manner as sliced animals or sliced maps are assembled, with the vertical edges of the various parts closely abutted. The sheet is then consolidated in a flat-faced heated press.

If an imitation of tiling for example, is made by either of the above processes and it is desired that the tiling or tesserae stand in relief with respect to the intervenin mortar-representing joints for examp e, the grooves have been formed by suitably shaped ribs on the face of the press. But this is objectionable for several reasons. It has been found that such ribs, due to their somewhat shearing effect, tend to open or weaken the joints between tesserae made by the straightline method. Further, it is extremely difiicult to accurately match the ribs with the mortar-representing joints whether the sheet is made by the moulded or straight-line method. Readjustment of the sheet with reference to the press is necessary at each press operation. Even when this is done the ribs do not always match properly due to slight movement of the tesserae, or stretch of the burlap backing in the preliminary consolidating press. Consequently a large proportion of the product is off somewhat in the indentation and has to be discarded or sold as a second. Furthermore the ribs accurately reproduce the indentations at each repeat of the press. In successive repeatareas these joints reproduce themselves with absolute accuracy. In every repeat the groove width and shape are exactly the same as in every adjacent repeat therein. The product is hard and mechanical looking and undesir: able for this reason.

In ordinary hand-laid ceramic tiling there are obvious irregularities due to inaccuracy of tile-positioning, tile-outliningand jointconstruction which result in inaccuracies of joint width, groove shape, etc..so that even if the pattern is reproduced in the repeats (as it usually is) the inaccuracies which occur in one repeat are not necessarily reproduced in the successive repeats. These inaccuracies are present in all hand-laid work. It has been .the desire of the trade to reproduce in a linoleum floor covering for example, such irregular irregularities in order more nearly to simulate hand-laid work. I have accomplished this by my process.

In carrying out my invention as illustrated in the drawings, and assuming that a tilerepresenting linoleum product is to be produced, I-assemble on a backing 1O tesserae of the desired shapes and colors and separated from each'other by narrow spaces, together with lower-lying joint-representing material. In Fig. 2 I have shown the tesserae 14 separated by strips of joint-representing material indicated at 12. In Fig. 4 the tesserae are represented by 24 and the lower-lying strips as 20. The tesserae and strips are formed from already-compacted but still somewhat soft linoleum material. They are preferably formed as in the ordinary straight-line method, i.e., by cutting them out of sheets of uncured linoleum of the desired colors. They are then still somewhat malleable, i.e., deformable. When the mortar-representing material is in the form of strips and it is desired that the joints should be represented by sunken areas between the tesserae, I may arrange the elements by making the tesserae 14 (or 24) thicker than the intervenin joint-representing strips 12 (or 20). In *ig. 2 the strips and tesserae have abutting vertical faces, while in Fig. 4 the tesserae somewhat overlie inclined faces 25 of the strips. This latter is of advantage in some cases, for when the material which is to represent the mortar joint (for example) extends under the adjacent tesserae the tesserae need not be so accurately positioned,

for slight inaccuracies of location. (such as when a tessera is slightly askew) are immaterial.

The assembled sheet is then subjected to compression in a fiat-faced press such as is ordinarily employed in consolidating straight-line inlays. Such presses are usually heated at least on the face which contacts with the upper face of the sheet. This compaction and consolidation by heat and pressure is often termed vulcanization in the linoleum industry for it is similar in some respects to the pressure vulcanization in the rubber industry. As the already-compacted tesserae are still somewhat soft and malleable, the pressure causes them to be expanded laterally somewhat and they will flow slightly over the intervening joint-represent ing strips, as indicated rather diagrammatically in Figs. 3 and 5. This lateral flowing of the edges'of the tesserae results in a more or less downwardly inclined margin, as indicated at 16' in Fig. 3. The amount of downward curvature of course will depend upon the consistency of the tesserae material and the amount of pressure applied. The pressure should however be relieved before the lateral flow has entirely closed up the spaces between the tesserae. The intervening ointrepresenting material will therefore be exposed to view. Fig. 1 represents rather diagrammatically the resultant product.

The pressure of course causesthe adjacent faces of the tesserae and the intervening strips to be welded together as, it were, into a. substantially homogeneous sheet. The sheet is of course subjected to the ordinary curing and drying operation usual in the linoleum industry. The final sheet therefore comprises tesserae in relief with respect to the narrow mortar-representing strip portions. I

I have found that in carrying out the above process, several advantageous results are obtained. As above pointed out, the trade prefers a straight-line product as distinguished from the ragged-edge product unavoidable in the moulded process. My final product has edges which are typical of the straight-line inlay because although the edges are expanded or caused to flow laterally somewhat, they still retain the clearly defined outline which differentiates the ordinary straight line inlay from the moulded. The grooves also register accurately in every not reoccur in any successive repeat area.

case with the outlines of the tesserae. This is impossible in a product which is firstmade flat-faced and then indented by ribs. In other words the sunken areas in my product occur exactly where they should occur and never can be oif in any such respect.

Furthermore slight irregularities of joint width and tile outline occur. Such an 1naccuracy may occur at one edge of one tile and never reoccur again throughout the length of the goods no matter how many repeats of the pattern there are. For example, supposing there are three different colorsof tesserae,

,the other, as must occur often, the different tesserae under pressure will flow somewhat differently from others of the tesserae. The re sult is that while the outlines are clearly defined, the joint width or groove shape will not be exactly the same throughout the piece. Also if some of the tesserae are placed slightly askew, whether intentionally or not, as they may be especially when the jointrrepresenting material underlies the tesserae, the appearance of the joint or the groove width will again vary somewhat. Such unavoidable inaccuracies result in what might be termed irregular irregularities. In every repeat area irregularities will be found which may The practical result is that by my process there is produced a product which has the tesserae in relief with clearly d'efined edges, with exactly-located joint-representing sunken areas and with slight inaccuracies which closely simulate the unavoidable inaccuracies of hand-laid ceramic tiling.

It is to be understoo'd'that the invention is not limited to the particular construction andmode of operation of the illustrated embodiment of the invention but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

\Vhat is claimed as new is:

1. The method of forming ornamental surface coverings in intaglio and relief, which consists of applying to a suitable backin -material, ornamentation sections of dii erent thicknesses and subsequently causing the or namentation sections of greater thickness to overlie and become an integral portion of those sections of less thickness.

2. The method of forming ornamental surface coverings which consists in forming sections of ornamental .material in predetermined shapes and of different thicknesses,

applying these sections to a suitable back- Absolute correspondence cannot ing material and subsequently subjecting the whole to pressure to cause those sections of greater thickness to partially overlie those scc-' thus of less thickness and to stand out in re lief wlth respect thereto in the finished product.

3. The method of forming ornamental surface coverings which consists in applying toa suitable backing material aplurality of relatively long narrow sections or strips of 'moldable material in such manner as to .di-

to a suitable backing shaped portions of moldable stock and adjacent lower-lying portions. and applying suflicient pressure to the exposed faces of the former to compact the same but leave them in relief and cause their mar- .gins to spread sidewise.

5. The process of producing a linoleum sheet, which consists in taking tesserae which have been cut of uncured linoleum sheets and arranging them in spaced relation with intermediate lower-lying and already-compacted linoleum material, and applying pressure to the exposed faces of said tesserae in such manner as to consolidate theparts of the.

pattern and cause the tesserae to spread sidewise, and then relieving the pressure at such time as to leave between the tesserae sunken areas in which the lower-lying material is exposed to view.

6. The method of forming a linoleum sheet which consists in applying on a suitable backing and in a desired pattern sections of already-compacted but still mouldable lino-- leum stock, some of whichare in relief, and applying sufficient pressure to the exposed faces of those which are in relief to cause their margins to spread sidewise sufliciently to overla and adhere to the exposed faces of the ad acent lower-lying sections, and relieving the pressure before the intermediate portions are covered.

7. A linoleum sheet comprising a attern of compacted linoleum tesserae, some 0 which are in relief, the margins of the latter overlying and adhering to the outer faces of the adjacent lower-lying sections, with portions of the latter exposed to view in the sunken areas. I

ments of the sheet being formed into a substantially integral mass.

9. The method of forming a linoleum sheet which consists in assembling into a desired design spaced tesseree of already compacted while still somewhat malleable linoleum and interposed strips of compacted linoleum whose faces lie below those of the tesserae, exerting pressure on the exposed faces of said tesserze sufficient to cause the tesserae and strips to be. welded together, and relieving the pressure before the tesserae faces are depressed to the level of the faces of the strips, whereby a sheet with tesserae in relief is produced.

10. The method of forming a linoleum sheet which consists in cutting out of differently colored sheets of compacted and somewhat malleable linoleum tesserae of the desired shape, assembling into a desired design such tesserae in spaced relation together with interposed strips of compacted linoleum whose faces lie below those of the tesserze, exerting pressure on the exposed faces of said tesserze sufiicient to cause the tesserae and strips to be welded together, and relieving the pressure before the tesserae faces are depressed to the level of the faces of the strips, whereby a sheet with tesserae in relief is produced.

11. A linoleum sheet comprising a suitable backing, a design made up of separated compacted linoleum tcsserae in relief with respect to strips of compacted linoleum interposed and exposed between said tesserae, the edges of said tesserae overlapping and being surface-welded to the upper surfaces of adjacent strips, both said tesserae and strips being in contact with and adhering to saidbacking.

12. The process of producing an inlaid sheet with tesserae in relief, which consists in arranging into the desired pattern previously-consolidated and shaped tesserae of relatively soft material somewhat spaced from each other, together with lower-lying portions of similar material exposed between the tesserae, and exerting downward pressure upon the exposed faces of the tesserae sufiicient to cause them to spread sidewise, and relieving the pressure before the spaces between the tesserae are closed up, whereby intervening grooves are produced and irregularities of joint width and groove shape occur which do not necessarily reoccur in successive repeat areas.

13. The process of producing a patterned linoleum sheet which comprises arranging in a suitable pattern and in spaced relation previously-compacted and shaped but still malleable tesserae in relief with respect to other linoleum material exposed to view between and a so extending under the adjacent tesserae, and applying pressure to the exposed faces of the tesserae in such manner as to weld together the parts ofthe sheet and cause the tesserae to spread somewhat sidewis" but not enough to cover the intervening areas, thereby producing sunken areas between the tesserae in which the intervening material is visible, the margins of the tesseraa being clearly defined-as compared with those of moulded inlaid linoleum-and having visible irregularities which do not reoccur in successive pattern-repeat areas.

14. A linoleum sheet comprisin a pattern of compacted linoleum tesseree whose edges are clearly definedas compared with those of moulded inlaid linoleumand which tesserae are in relief with respect to and are, welded to intervening exposed compacted linoleum which extends under the adjacent tesserae, the margins of the tesserae forming in the sunken areas visible irregularities which do not reoccur in successive patternrepeat areas.

Signed at New York city this 25th day of May, 1926.

JOHN TOMEC. 

